In Sunshine Or In Shadow
by Ice.the.Queen
Summary: The war between the mutants and the humans is getting closer, but what about the war between the X-men and the Brotherhood? OC
1. A rose by any other name

A/N: Really quickly, I hadn't even planed to write this, but while at work one day I just wrote it. I have thought of creating my own X-men character, and wanted both fire and ice as her power but I felt people would be like "that is soooo over used." So I thought about it and thought about how I would write an X-men story, and realized I had the perfect idea.  
  
Warning: religions and religious undertones present. The religion most present is my own, Wicca, and if you are offended by this religion or are just going to flame be because of my chosen religion, please just leave. Also, I'm setting this at PG-13 and will keep it that way until I feel it should be higher. Some adult language, (mostly swearing) and situations, also contains violence.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own X-men or anything related to the X-men. I do how ever own my character, Artemis, and this plot. ^_^  
  
In Sunshine or in Shadow  
  
Chapter 1, A rose by any other name  
  
The wind blew across the blue-green lake that lay in front of Artemis, whipping her long brown hair around her tall form and blowing through the leaves in the old trees lining the shore. One jade green eye paired with a cerulean blue looked out across the water watching the low waves softly touch the shore. Slipping her shoes from her feet, she stepped into the cool water of the lake, letting it bathe her sore feet. Being away from the lake had harmed the girl more then her parents realized. More then they had thought possible. She stuck out her left hand and the water parted at her feet. It felt good, familiar. And she could do it with out people jumping at her, and calling her nasty names. Looking around Artemis double checked to make sure there was no one around, her parents were gone for the night and the only living beings around the secluded house were the many animals that came and went, but still it paid to be extra careful. She had found that out the hard way.  
  
"Why did they have to send me to that horrible place?" she suddenly screamed, feeling the fury build within her. She balled her left hand into a fist and the animals near her scattered.  
  
The wind picked up lifting her hair up and making it dance, as the waves started to rise up growing larger.  
  
"They knew what it was like for them! WHY?" she screamed eyes full of hatred and pain she looked towards the cloud filled heavens.  
  
Her right hand was thrust forward and the earth and sand under her feet started to move towards the darkening sky. The waves grew larger and were brushing the bottom of the girl's tall perch. One looking on would wonder why the girl hadn't fallen from the narrow piece of earth given the wind and the power of the waves crashing against her pedestal.  
  
"They knew. . . . So why?" Artemis asked in a mere whisper, her cerulean and jade eyes loosing the hate, but not the pain, and filled with tears.  
  
~They wanted you to know what it was like. To make your own decision about what is to come, and how you will fight.~  
  
Her brunette head snapped up towards the sky, hair flying, and the girl thought she saw a figure in the clouds. Wiping her tear filled eyes and stained cheeks she looked harder and saw the outline of a woman who looked familiar. Suddenly it hit her, it was the Goddess she prayed to every night, the Goddess that was her name sake. The Greek Goddess Artemis.  
  
~Dear child, Artemis, daughter of the earth and moon, you are gifted with powers most humans do not have. Your path is yours now, no longer that of your parents. They sent you to show you, not all people are like your parents, not all people so accepting. They never meant to hurt you. A war is coming, it has been coming for years, a war between people who hate your kind and call you nasty names, and the people just like you, looking to fit- in in this world. Two sides, and each side has two sides. Four sides in two.~  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked shaking her head, the confusion evident in her voice. She slowed the wind and let it die down around her, while forcing the waves down so they were once again small waves, leisurely lapping at the sandy shore.  
  
~Two sides, one being the people with powers and the other being the people with out. Two sides on the first side, the ones who want peace, and the ones that are willing to kill the people with out powers, to show their greatness and kill all who would make their life to horrible to take. Two sides on the second side, the ones who wish all of you and your kind dead and will do anything to do so, and the ones willing to try for peace. All sides have greatness, power and influence. But, both sides, powered and non, have infighting. You, my daughter, are on the first side, those with powers. It is your own choice where you go from there, no one can make that choice for you. Remember your upbringing and religion, do what you believe is right, and if you need to, ask for a clear path if you can't find the way. You have a wonderful power, and your "mutant" name should reflect that. Do you have one?~  
  
Artemis thought for a moment, and then shook her head her eyes filled with sorrow for not being able to complete such an easy task as to name herself.  
  
"I've thought about it because my parents have their names, Gemini and Raven, but I am afraid I haven't been very successful in coming up with a name for myself."  
  
~My dear girl, don't give up, most names aren't made up, but given. Feel the pentagram around your neck representing the four elements of which you can manipulate, what is the fifth element?~  
  
"Akasha, the spirit, the life force of all living things, the fifth element," she said with a grin.  
  
~Very good, you will do well my dear. Now go into the world and make your own destiny.~  
  
The figure disappeared into the fading dusk sky and the girl slowly moved the spike of earth back into the ground and felt the water fall in around her ankles. Looking towards the dying light she remembered she had vowed never to return to urban New York, but fate always had a way of changing plans. She suddenly felt very much at peace with her parents, and her future. She was going to go to New York City and, she realized, she didn't have any fear, just iron will. Plus, it wasn't every day the Goddess knocked you off your feet and opened your eyes to the very real world.  
  
Smiling, she picked up her shoes and felt the wind kiss her cheek as she made her way into her home.  
  
Well????? Please review, I really plan to write more, I just needed to get this out to sort of explain some stuff I guess. So Yay? Nay? Suggestions?? Ja Ne for now! Pyro-Hi 


	2. Power of revelation

A/N: Yay!!!!! I updated! It took me long enough, but every time I went to write I got side tracked or writers block. I actually had the middle part of this chapter longer and way weird, but! I wanted to write something better so I used the first part of it and rewrote most of it. I kinda "borrowed" a part from a different movie but I changed it so as to not copy. *I didn't even realize that I had even done it till I read it over again. So if anyone finds it they get a prize!* So for something that I hadn't planned to write, I did a nice job on this chapter I think, so let me know what you think! Ja Ne! Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Professor Xavier, Jean, Marie, Bobby, Jubilation, St. John, or the shadowed mutant *take a wild guess, you get a prize for that one too!* BUT! I do own Artemis, although if someone wanted to draw me a picture of her I wouldn't be offended ^_~ Oh ya, nor do I own the concept of the X-Mansion.  
  
In Sunshine or in Shadow  
  
Chapter 2, Powers of revelation  
  
The moon bathed the lawn of the X-mansion with pale light adding to the light spilling from miscellaneous windows that housed the gifted children of the school. A figure stood in one of the doorways facing the moon, their face hidden in the shadow provided by the large house. The figure watched as the moonlight revealed a figure moving quickly towards the where they stood.  
  
"Isn't it a bit late to be out?" a male voice called.  
  
"Not to late to talk to you," a female voice purred in answer.  
  
"What are you doing here? I thought he was fine with what I was doing!" the male whispered loudly, his felt his anger towards the figure flare up, he didn't know why she was making this late night visit, and that fact alone made him feel uneasy. She was his "boss's" prized minion and if she was here, that meant there was something going on that he needed to know about.  
  
"Professor Xavier has found a new homeless kitten, find out what she does and tell me as soon as you can," the female spoke deeply, sending shivers down her partners spine and made him feel aroused against his own will.  
  
He sighed and looked at the moon high in the sky, mentally trying to cool his teenage body so he could finish this conversation and be rid of the bloody woman.  
  
"Fine," he said finally. "But what do I get out of it?" he asked an idea forming in his mind. Maybe he could-  
  
"Magneto's unwavering patience at your inability to make up your mind," she answered quickly, venom dripping from every word.  
  
The thought of reward died before it could take full form, but the male grinned at the fact that he was the reason for the abrupt change in her tone of voice and stepped forward the moon bathing his form in pale light.  
  
"Meet me here at midnight on Friday, that gives me three days to figure everything out for you," he replied after a moment, amusement evident in his voice.  
  
"Glad we're on the same page. Goodnight my dear, see you in three days," the woman said with a sly smile. The moonlight caught her cat like yellow eyes and they glittered like fools gold as she turned to walk away.  
  
The male stood and started flicking his lighter on and off, an old habit, as he watched her go the same way she had come, making sure she was off the property, before entering the house to find his bed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Wednesday  
  
"This will be your room Artemis," Jean said showing Artemis a small double room with two twin beds, a pair of old looking desks and a tall chest of drawers paired with a short wide set.  
  
Artemis took in the room, the beds looked comfortable enough, and the furniture in good repair, but the paint on the walls was such a mind- numbing shade of pink Artemis thought she was going to puke. Sadly enough the girl realized that the comforter and curtains framing the two small windows matched the paint.  
  
"Uhh, Doctor," Artemis opened her mouth to say something but Jean interrupted her.  
  
"Call me Jean if you like," she said with a smile for the new student.  
  
"Okay, Jean, uhh would I be able to have the room painted to a colour that isn't so nauseating?" she asked and the pair heard laughing from outside the door.  
  
"Looks like you have some visitors," she said turning to leave.  
  
"Jean?" Artemis called halting the older woman's steps. Jean turned towards her again and looked at the girl expectantly.  
  
"Thank you," she said and Jean smiled and nodded before turning again and walking out the door, and she realized the doctor hadn't answered her question about painting the room.  
  
She didn't have time to think about it though because seconds later, two girls and two boys spilled into the small room.  
  
"Nauseatin' eh? I didn't know that this horrid shade of pink existed, at least not on the walls in this house. I wonder what the Professor was thinking," one of the girls said with a laugh.  
  
"I don't think I've ever heard that word used when talking about the rooms," the second girl said taking a seat on the bed.  
  
"Jubes!" the first girl yelled at her friend. Jubilee jumped up and opened her mouth to apologize, but Artemis's eyes caught her attention.  
  
"Hey wow! Look at her eyes!" Jubilee said breaking the silence  
  
"One is blue and the other is green!" She said with out thinking. Quickly the girl slapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide as the realization of how rude she sounded hit her.  
  
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry, I don't remember where I am half the time," the girl called Jubes said with a deep blush and a slight grin. "I'm Jubilation Lee, call me Jubilee," she said sticking out her hand. Artemis took it and shook her hand, while taking a look at the girl, a black and white stripped tank top over blue jeans held up by a black studded belt, bangles hung from her wrists with hoops hanging from her ears, an X in a circle hung from a simple chain around her neck and her inky black hair was pulled into a messy style ponytail held back with a yellow elastic. Her almond shaped eyes made Artemis guess she was Asian.  
  
"And I'am Marie, call me Rogue, Please!" the second girl said with a laugh. Artemis thought she looked slightly odd, then realized that she was covered from head to toe, no skin other then her face and a small bit on her arms that wasn't covered showed. She was wearing brown past-the-elbow length gloves, dark brown pants paired with a brown ivy patterned tee shirt, and a thin dark scarf wrapped around her neck, a pair of dog tags hung almost hidden under the scarf. Her brown hair sported a white blond streak in the front that framed her face, and her brown eyes showed her amusement. Both girls pointed to the boys that still stood in the doorway.  
  
"He's Bobby, the Iceman," Rogue said pointing to the curly blond wearing faded blue jeans and a light blue tee shirt. Artemis took the hand he offered and felt her hand almost freeze. Bobby winked at her with icy blue eyes and she smiled.  
  
"And that, is John, no no, Saint, John. He's our Pyro." Jubilee said with a laugh. Artemis looked at the jeans and white tee shirt clad teenager still standing against the door jam like he was the only one in the world who could hold it up.  
  
"Please just call him John, he starts feeling invincible when you call him by his full name," Bobby said from behind her with a slight laugh. John made a face at Bobby and held out his hand for Artemis. His touch felt like fire, and she could see it blazing in his eyes. He gave her a lazy grin before asking her what her name was.  
  
"Artemis Rea," she replied with a smile for the four teens that had evaded her cozy room. "My Mutant name is Akasha."  
  
"Hey, wasn't she some kind of killer Vampire in a movie once?" Jubilee asked looking up at the girl confused.  
  
"Anne Rice, 'Queen of the Damned'," Bobby said matter-of-factly. The other three looked at the two confused.  
  
"Never mind," Jubilee said quickly. All five teens grew quiet as they looked around the room and at each other.  
  
'I wonder if I'll be getting a room mate,' Artemis wondered in the awkward silence. She didn't know the girls, but they were friendly and she knew she liked them all ready.  
  
"So what do you guys do for fun here?" Artemis asked after a long silence. "Or you can show me around," she added with a slight shrug. "Either one."  
  
The girls looked over at her and grinned, and were up in seconds pulling their new housemate to the door.  
  
"You boys coming?" Jubilee asked as Rogue reached back to grab Bobby's hand. John snickered at Bobby, before nodding and stepped out into the hall before the three girls had a chance to push him.  
  
"So where we going?" John heard the new girl ask as he slowly followed them down the hall towards the game room.  
  
'I wonder when I'll be able to find out her powers and their strength," John wondered to himself.  
  
'I've only got two more days.'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Artemis sat on the roof above her room, her hair flowing lightly in the cool night breeze. Her feet were bare and she sat clad in only a pair of shorts and a tank top. Others might find it cold but to Artemis she felt more at home on the roof then on the ground at this place.  
  
Looking out across the grounds she saw a figure walking by itself. Crawling closer to the edge of the roof she watched it walk around the side of the house. More curious then a kitten, Artemis wanted to find out what someone else was doing awake at this hour. She dove off the roof and let herself fly down feeling the wind brush its gentle fingers through her long brown hair. A few feet before the ground came up to smash her, she called the wind to hold her body up and gently let it down on the ground. Looking around she jogged around to where she had seen the figure go.  
  
"Hello?" she whispered loudly. "Is anyone there?"  
  
She saw a flicker of fire and called the flame to her, willing it bigger as it covered the distance to her hand. She heard a gasp from where the small flame had been and walked towards the sound.  
  
"How'd you do that?" the voice hissed, and she thought she recognized the voice. It belonged to the boy her newfound friends called John, the boy that seemed like he had a million other things to do then hang out with the new girl.  
  
"It's my mutation," she replied walking closer trying to see his face. At once the pool of light grew bigger as John formed a ball of fire himself, and she could see his face, his dark eyes studied her, sizing her up.  
  
"It's apparently not the only one," he said looking at her face. His eyes moved from left to right looking at the two colours that made her eyes different then everyone else.  
  
"My eyes are two different colours, yes," she said with a shrug, wondering what he was getting at.  
  
"That's not what I meant. I saw you jump off the roof, I thought you were trying to kill yourself, but you survived. How?" John asked stepping closer.  
  
Artemis took a step back, she felt like a mouse stuck between a corner and a hungry cat, and didn't know what to say. With a sigh she began to explain.  
  
"Akasha is the fifth element, the sprit, the soul, which would make me all five in one. I can manipulate fire, as you now know, and the wind, which is what kept me from breaking anything when I jumped off the roof, the earth and water. I can bend each of them to my will in any way I choose. I can even manipulate the soul at times." She said licking her lips.  
  
"The soul?" John asked, the disbelief clear in his voice.  
  
"Yes, the soul," Artemis answered with a shrug. "It's the one part of my mutation I can't control."  
  
Artemis stopped talking and sat down on the cool grass, and was only a little surprised when John sat down beside her. Crossing her legs she put her hands on the ground behind her and leaned back slightly.  
  
"When ever I'm extremely happy, filled with anger, or just completely down right sad, people around me feel the same emotions. I can't control it, I don't even know if I have to feel sad or happy for it to happen. So far the only times its happened is when I've had my emotions swing drastically," she looked up at John's unreadable expression, then up at the waning moon.  
  
"It's not explainable, but not all mutations are. Actually most are unexplainable. So, I try and keep my emotions neutral, it seems as if it doesn't have any effect on anyone, in any mood, when I keep it like that," she finished looking up at him, he stared at her wordlessly, the moonlight dancing off his hair and face.  
  
"Anyway, I'm going to head back to my room, I didn't realize how tired I was until just now," she said with a yawn as if to prove that she was really tired.  
  
"Have a good night," she said quickly, suddenly his studying made her feel suffocated. With out giving him a chance to respond, she extinguished her fire ball and was walking towards the closest door. She was so caught up in escaping him, that she didn't realize he had followed her until he was standing beside her.  
  
"I'll walk with you to your room. The mansion gets dark at night, and you don't want to get lost," he said quietly holding the door open. His expression stillunreadable Artemis figured it was an apology of sorts. Not wanting to get lost on her first night there, and feeling like she had no better choice, Artemis walked in and let him lead the way.  
  
Darkness enveloped them as the door shut cutting off the moonlight, and John flicked his lighter on making a small flame in the palm of his hand to use as a light. The light chased the darkness away into the farthest corners, only to watch it fall back into place as it passed.  
  
'He's. . . different. . . One moment he seems to be studying me intently, to the point of being blunt and rude, but the next he's doing things a Knight would have done in the Middle Ages. Chivalry,' she mused as she followed him up a dark set of stairs. 'Doesn't seem to be dead after all. But what else could be up his proverbial sleeve?'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Soo Did you like?? I hope so, And I honestly hope it doesn't take me that long to put out another chapter! Gomen Minna ^_^* Please R&R to tell me what you think. ^_^ 


	3. What Dreams May Come?

A/N I don't need to say that this is finally here..... I had all this written months and months and months ago, but I didn't think it was that long, but I really want to post this here because well, Thanks to Stretch I'm finally getting back into FF.N and doing my story. Gomen Nasi Minna-san! (Extremely sorry everyone) I just, I thought this wasn't enough, but I promise, I will be updating again, and before Christmas too!! And I will be catching up with the other stories that I've missed in the almost year that I've been Idle..... . 

Anyway On to chapter three, horrid title but it just came to me. It fits and that's all we need.

Chapter 3 - What Dreams May Come?

"I'll walk with you to your room. The mansion gets dark at night, and you don't want to get lost," John said quietly holding the door open. Artemis walked pasted him into the darkened house, the only light john's lone fireball. Artemis called the fire to herself and the light flared up in the hallway.

"Rather handy don't 'cha think?" she said with a grin.

The pair walked side by side through the hallways, and up to the second floor, to her room. Opening the door, Artemis extinguished her fireball and stepped inside her room, when a hand caught her on the shoulder. Turning, she opened her mouth to ask what he wanted when his lips descended on hers. Caught like a deer in headlights her body went stiff, and John wrapped his arms around her, one on her back the other's fingers wove through her long hair, to cup the back of her head. After the chock of the initial contact she felt herself relax in his arms and held onto him, her fingers running thru his hair.

'There isn't just fire in his eyes,' she thought as she felt him deepen the kiss. 'There's fire in his kiss, in everything he does!'

Clinging to him she felt him open his mouth to let his tongue touch hers. Artemis felt a jolt as their tongues touched, and her eyes snapped open. Suddenly the hallway was gone, St. John was gone, and she was lying in her bed, pink blankets in a twist around her.

'Why did I just dream that?' she asked herself putting a hand to her lips. She could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers, his arms holding her, his hands caught in her hair. She shook her head and stood up to stretch as she looked out the window at the near approaching dawn. The sky alight with soft purples and grays as the night descended and gave into the day. With a sigh she sat back down, rubbing her arms slightly, she could not shake the feel of him; it was almost as if they had kissed in real life.

Looking at her alarm clock she shook her head and stood up to make her way to the bathroom to start her day.

'Might as well, I'm up now.'

Lips moving together, bodies held close, hands caressing soft smooth skin, St. John Allerdyce grinned in his sleep as the scene played out in his dream. His lips were connected to the beautiful new brunette, and he opened his mouth to deepen the already deep kiss, but instead of the pleasure of her tongue mating with his, he got a shock that went through his entire body. Jerking awake the dream faded out of his reach and he sat up breathing heavy head in his hands.

'What the hell was that all about?' he asked himself as he flung his blankets off and swung his legs over the side of his bunk. He rubbed his eyes and yawned as the dream flashed back in to his mind in the faint morning light. Crawling down the bunk bed ladder he looked at his roommate Bobby.

'Lucky bastard," he thought as he saw Bobby was still in the pleasures of sleep. Grabbing a pair of jeans he pulled them on over his boxers and made his way to the floors bathroom.

'This better not happen every night, or this could be a long few days. This girl really is not good for me. . '

Artemis met up with Jubilee, Rogue, Bobby and John in the Cafeteria, blushing slightly but trying her hardest to push the dream from her mind, she sat down between Jubilee and Bobby, unfortunately it was right across from John.

"Good morning!" Jubilee greeted as she sat down with her tray of food. The noise in the room wasn't yet loud, most of the students were still trying to wake up, but Jubilee didn't seem to notice and she was speaking rather loudly.

"Jubes, not so loud. Some of us are still half asleep," Rogue complained from across the table.

"Sorry," the Asian girl said sheepishly, sharing a grin with Artemis. "Rogue's not a morning person," she explained in a whisper. Both girls caught the death stare the brunette shot their way and both ignored it giggling.

"So how was your first night?" Jubilee asked as she dug into her breakfast of what looked to be Coco Puffs and chocolate milk.

"It was good, the beds are more comfortable then they first appeared, but the paint still gives me a headache," she added with a grin.

"Did you get an answer on if you can paint the room?" Bobby asked as he ate what looked like scrambled eggs.

"Not yet, I plan to today. Hey remind me in the future to just eat cereal." She said as she poked at what could be a piece of bacon, or a fried piece of bark. Shrugging, she turned her attention to John, "So, do you ever talk?" she asked taking a sip of her orange juice.

John was so startled by the comment, he almost choked on his cereal, but caught himself and swallowed before answering.

"I talk," he answered.

"Ya, only when he thinks the conversation could go better with his two cents," Bobby added with a smirk. Rogue rolled her eyes as John only glared at his friend.

"As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted I talk, but only when I'm not so tired, or thinking."

Bobby laughed at the comment about thinking, but Artemis could only stare at him and think about the reason she was slightly tired herself, but before she could think of something to say, a bell rang.

"First bell, time for class," Bobby said stuffing the last bit of eggs into his mouth before standing up.

"Thank you oh great one, where would I be without you?" John asked sarcastically as he stood up and grabbed his tray.

Rogue rolled her eyes again and turned to Artemis, "I know the professor will want to talk to you before classes, wanna meet us here for lunch?"

Artemis nodded and walked with them into the hallway.

"Maybe you'll have some of the same classes with us after lunch," Jubilee said shouldering her backpack.

"See you after," Bobby said as the three of them went down the hallway. Artemis looked at the one that was left. John looked like he wanted to say something, and she looked at him expectantly, but he just nodded and turned to follow the three that had walked on ahead of him.

'He's so- so much different then anyone I've ever known,' she thought as she watched him walk down the hall and turn into a classroom.

Shaking her head she continued on her way to Professor X's office.

'Maybe one day I'll understand him,'

Well? Not worth the wait I know, but still it's here, and Chapter four should be up soon, life permitting! Love you guys!


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